My Tried and True, Expert Approved Skincare Tips

Skincare is probably the most complex aspect of beauty that there is. Every person's skin type is so unique and can change throughout the years and seasons. There are so many articles out there that it can be difficult to figure out what is helpful and what isn't. I've assembled some of my favorite skincare advice that has been proven to actually work through the studies of experts and my own personal knowledge. 

To begin, some background on my skin. Like many others, I started getting acne in middle school that was definitely close to severe. My skin was oily all the time and I tried so many products and was never satisfied. To make it worse, I developed an allergy to antacids my sophomore year of high school. That means ibuprofen, aspirin, and the common skincare ingredient salicylic acid. I broke out worse than I ever had in my life. Now after several years with a dermatologist I have finally found a good product combination but my skin has become dry and is very sensitive to new products. 

With all of that said, I think that this advice I'm about to share is needed for all skin types. I hope it can help you in your quest for healthy skin!

1. After trying a new regimen of products, wait 4-6 weeks to see results. This is so true but it can be so hard to listen to. I got very discouraged with my dermatologist but after about 6 to 7 weeks of using a new set of skincare products my skin has finally cleared up. Listen to the experts and suffer through a few weeks and it will definitely pay off. 

2. Use a lot of moisturizer. I got this tip from one of Bobbi Brown's books. Moisturizer helps your skin retain water and give it the vitamins and sun protection that it needs. Don't be afraid to use a lot on a daily basis. I also follow the editor of Lucky magazine, Eva Chen, on all her social media and she is always posting product reviews of different mosuturziers that she goes through super quickly. Both of these iconic women have smooth, glowy skin that proves the power that a great moisturizer can have. 

3. Don't overcleanse. A lot of beauty figures have started cleansing their face only once a day to avoid the overproduction of oil. On days when you've worn a light face of makeup, I recommend using a cleansing water instead of a normal cleanser. I've recently tried the one from Simple Skincare and it really does a great job of getting off dirt and makeup without drying out or tightening your skin. These are super popular right now for a good reason! 

4. Look for products with natural ingredients that are proven to help your skin. This has helped my skin so much lately. Instead of grabbing the bottle with a complex mix of chemicals, find one that promises ingredients you've actually heard of! For example, oatmeal, chamomile and coconut oil are all amazing for hydrating dry skin. If you keep a lookout for those ingredients you'll find a much more effective product. Whenever my skin gets extra dry, I use Eucerin cream on it because the oatmeal in it completely soothes the redness. 

5. Drink green tea. Green tea has been one of my favorite things to drink for years and it has so many health benefits. Not only is it great for your skin, but it helps with your heart health as well. I'm currently obsessed with this authentic sencha tea I got from a Japanese food store. It tastes heavenly! Plus it was super inexpensive. I can't say enough good things about it. 

 

These tips have really helped me work toward healthy skin. I hope that they help some of you out as well. Enjoy your weekend! xoxo, Katie